yeboah

My mate who comes round and helps with the doos ,got told by a very good source that they are now collecting more pigeon id rings from the goshawk nestsitea than they are from the falcon sites .

Spot on with your reply,The major problem is the breeding centre's that are topping up the falcon's nests now impossible for them not to multiply unchecked ,as for the songbirds saw the sparrowhawk yesterday carrying a blackbird and cannot even remember which year i last witnessed a song thrush ,only way i can see the problem addressed is a virus .

Sad but so very true Tommy,Tossed birds yesterday in two groups from 20 mls ,first group home intact ,second group which were of 5 minutes later did not get a bird until 1 hr after first lot were home they only came in one's until nightfall ,got the 3 missing by 11 am today but with it being so cold completely takes the edge of them ,after the first race never basket train my experienced doos only the one's that did not get raced properly for various reasons ,GOD HELP THE YOUNGSTERS .

Well done stevie mate good start .

It was a lovely day down here in Moffat right up to one o'clock when it chucked it down cleared away after 2-3 hours ,never seen a batch all day today from lanarkshire or midland libs but loads of singles in the town tonight as the widow cocks were chasing them all over ,if i get any in will get them as far north as poss clear of the hills after they have been fed and watered .

100% only sent 2 came well

It got round the first but seemed to have made heavy contact with second ,now you no what they say about keeping your eyes on the road .(heard someone say it was barking up the wrong tree )

No change in weather for next 5 days temp not rising into double figures rain and sleet about will now wrap them up till temp shows an improvement Bloody Global warming my A--

With the terrible start this morning with the torrential rain did not get a doo till 6-45 they then worked all day till 4-30,have ended up six down one of which is a four year old ,weather tonight has been heavy rain again with the hills now white up tops with snow .

Very difficult to see it improving as legislation to change from grade one European protection would take years ,believe it took them 9 years to get it in place ,If a falcon site has a poor hatch they just introduce others that they have reared as the falcon will feed them no problems ,the number of sites in this area has just went out of control in the last few years not counting the one's that have not paired,god only no's the true count in the UK at present,one thing is certain my friend they have all to eat each day to survive .Someone whom i no ,he rings the falcons and has admitted that he does not even no all occupied sites at present .

Thanks everyone for your concerns, I no everyone else is going through the same ,Deep down i no at present all we are doing is supplying a food chain for the raptors but like most on here who have raced the doos for so long it is hard to accept not having them ,but with all the related costs nowadays i can accept the fact of fellow fanciers calling it a day,one lousy toss from 10 miles and the team goes from 22 to 6,never lost that many old birds in one race in the forty years i've raced them .

Don't quite no where to start,Have been getting up early morning and working two sections of widowhood cocks ,22 in total also working them at night and what fantastic condition they were in a joy to watch so early in the year,basketed them for there first toss tonight from 10 miles,liberated them all together and they cleared well as i travelled straight of after them spotted them 6 miles from home and going really well,only to reach home with zero on the loft,waited 15 minutes and got 4 from high out of the south which is a bad sign when they have been split so close to home ,got another 2 ten minutes later ,stood till dark and never got another feather we are talking of raced birds here 1x 4 year old and 1 x 3 year old the rest raced and trained as yb's ,I no the last few miles into Moffat are the worst but this is now getting beyond a joke I would have honestly have been better just keeping them going at home and jumping them into a race trying to get my head round the situation to say i'm sick is a huge understatement

Stayed dry here all day , good spells of sunshine and bloody cold wind,never seen any go past in the afternoon but with the wind being ne they probably held the motorway over Beattock .

Where were they and what time were they lib ?

Cheers

Blue hen came in with widowcocks tonight,Ring Number Su 11 L 14947 There were batches of trainers going over Moffat today about 11 ish this hen came from a southerly direction tonight,Will see Jimmy Warwick from symington tomorrow can hand it to him .

Sun just out ,although more like a january day with very cold ne wind already picking up .

Cheq cock in tonight SU 11 A 7140 ,CHEQ white flight hen was on roof tops part tail missing perhaps from same loft ?

Would agree that everyone's pigeons should benefit from a race programme that does not change each year ,Good Luck For 2012 .

Initially would say weaker as my 2 best racing cocks went down at last years Gold cup race which was a disaster for most,But on the other hand got to also look at the positives and say stronger as there master is a year wiser regarding Widowhood and the yearlings are from the same bloodlines,the cocks are already in wonderful condition and only this morning disappeared up the Moffat water valley whilst exercising (must have a death wish )also looking forward to racing the hens on widowhood and not roundabout so looking to improve there,one other thing on a personal point at least i will get a truer measurement regarding miles on the wing with racing west again ,have not set any targets as the doos will do that either way once again looking forward to the highs and lows of 2012 :emoticon-0167-beer:

My father in law who is not keeping the best of health at present has a good each way on westwood so hope he stays near the top .

24 Cocks 24 Hens but vast majority yearlings ,sadly once they reach 3yo there are in the 1% only thing i've been able to keep for any lenght of time has been the Wife (33 years) where's ma gold medal lads

Kenny , down at wamphray has lost 4 so far all racers, he lost 2 in one attack on thursday ,terrible especially after feeding them all winter and with the racing so close,new member dave also at wamphray has lost 2 and had another taken on a training toss from ecclefechan , I myself had the cocks out for a fly and a bath yesterday without any problems(they must have known John Wayne was on lookout ) but have the small benefit of not having any trees around the loft although bet when the youngsters are out fate will catch up with me,with the widow cocks now on a routine they are either in the air or in the loft so only the peregrine to worry about there but as she is down on eggs wont bother me for a while now,The widowhood system sure is of major benefit regarding exercise compared to the natural system which i will NEVER apply again .

Full cloud cover here ,looks like

The cold wind will blow and we shall have snow and what will poor pigeon do then poor thing (stay in the hut ) But when it is right sunny and bright to the front of the pack we will go HO HO :emoticon-0136-giggle: Good Luck with your season Andy .